Machine belt



April 23, 1935. MEYER MACHINE BELT Filed Nov. 18, 1930 E 5 0 fl E y 2 i f 3% mm 5 NT m J w w j 7 Z WH \l 0 z a Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE momma BELT Ernest Meyer, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The B. F.

Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 1c, 1930, Serial No. 496,395 3 Claims. (01. 74-233) This invention relates to belts, more especially surface of which the stock in the form of sheets endless side driving belts for power transmission is plied up. A sheet of the rubber composition purposes, andto apparatus and methods for mak of which the layer I3 is composed is placed next ing the same. to the outer surface of the drum over its entire Objects of the invention are to provide for the circumference and on top of this, in succession, 5 making of endless belts of rubberized fibrous are placed sheeted layers of the rubberized cords material wherein the necessity for applying m idl2, and the square-woven and bias-cut rubberized ing pressur extemally f the b lt t mold the fabric ll, all of which layers are preferably same is avoided, to dispense with the se f pressed into intimate contact with each other.

fabric wr ppingsinmolding belts; to provide im- The assembled layers are then cut circumfer- 10 proved procedure for producing belts of uniformentially of the u i a plu ality f rin s 1y high quality and attra tiv appearance, d of rectangular cross section which are removed to provide im roved ldi apparatus for profrom the drum, each ring constituting a core for ducing b lt an endless belt. After wrapping the core ill in A further bbject 1 -1- provide an improved the plies It and I5 of the cover fabric, the belt 5 whi h, i ddit t possessing high. tensile is in readiness for molding and vulcanizing. strength and low stretchgbm'ty possesses also In Figs. 3 and 4 are illustrated a mold comprisa high degree of flexibility, ability to run with a, ing a plurality of axially'interfitting annular sechlgh degree of smoothness and efficiency, an a tions l6, l1, l8 and I9 defining at their outer 2 long, useful life. surface a plurality of mold cavities each having oth b t l d object 111 appear from inwardly tapering sides 20 and 2| and a bottom the following specification, of which the accom- The fourth Wall of each cavity is pr d pa yi drawing forms a t, for by a pressure resisting surface, such as the In th drawing: inner surface of an enclosing shell 23 which may 25 Fig; 1 is a fragmentary perspective i in be sectional with suitable securing devices but is 25 section of a molded belt made according to the preferably of integral, closed u a s ru i v nt tion adapted to be mounted on the mold by rel- Fig, 2 is a fragmentary perspective View in ative axial movement thereon. The shell may be s tio r th shown in 1 t before provided with suitable strengthening means such th m h b d as the flanges 24, and may be tapered slightly at 30 Fig. 3 is a view in sectional elevation of a mold its i r Surface f r a Sh rt distance from one having plurality of b lt positioned therein end, as indicated at 25, to facilitate movement ready for cure. of the shell over the outer surface of the mold Fig. 4 is a plan view, reduced in size, of the during assemb ye d e io s m y be pr mold of Fig. 3. vided with projecting lugs 26 serving to facilitate 35 Referring to Fig, 2, which h w b lt t proper alignment of the sections during assembly its components assembled and ready for molding nd to facilitate separation of the sections suband vulcanization, l0 indicates a core or body sequent to vulcanization. Spid' rs 21 d portion preferably comprising at it ut r periphformed integral with the end sections, aflord at- 40 ery several plies ll f square-woven a d bi t taching means for a bolt 29 or other detachable 40 rubberized fabric, at its central portion a group l mping device to hold the sections tightly toof rubberized reinforcing cords l2, preferably in gether in inter-fittin rel tionthe form of one or more plies of weak-wefted or h ring 0! bell; material is Preferably Of weftless cord fabric, and at its inner periphery i e somewhat less than t of t ca i y 5 a layer l3 of rubber composition containing a in which it is to be molded, so as to require the blowing agent for purposes to be explained herebelt to be stretched to fit its mold cavity. 0n inafter. The belt is provided with inner and being p d n th a y i s condition of outer wrappers, I4 and [5 respectively, of quarestretch, the belt, due to the resiliency of its mawoven and bias-cut rubberized fabric, the plies l l tends to sh ink in di m but i thereof overlapping in double thickness over the strained from such shrinking by contact with 50 walls of the belt and the edges of the wrappers the Walls of the cavity. This stretchin is determinating preferably at the inner periphery sirable for several reasons, such as to eliminate of the belt, as shown. I wrinkles and slacking of portions of the cover and The layers of the core' III are assembled prefother elements of the belt, to enable the belt to erably by means of a mandrel or drum on the accommodate itself betterinthe mold cavity with-- 55 out bulging or uneven alignment therein, and to produce a condition of low stretchability in the finished belt in use. After a belt has been placed in each mold cavity, the shell 23 is mounted in position as illustrated in Fig. 3, and the whole placed in a heated vulcanizing chamber.

Under the heat of the vulcanizing chamber, the blowing agent, heretofore mentioned, which is contained in the layer I3 and is preferably interspersed throughout the material of this layer, is caused to volatilize and expand, setting up molding pressure internally of the belt which causes the latter to fill the mold cavity and to be molded to the shape thereof. The pressure is exerted uniformly in all directions, causing the belt to accommodate itself to the shape of the mold cavity with symmetrical arrangement of the reinforcing cords as well as the other elements Of the belt, and with the result that in the finished belt, each element will be properly positioned to effect its load carrying function in an efficient manner. The expansion of the blowing agent causes the layer l3 at the inner portion of the belt to be made somewhat porous, which condition obtains in the finished belt, the ex panded gases after being cooled leaving small voids in the rubber composition which enable the belt in the region of the voids to yield more readily and to reduce somewhat in volume under compression, with consequently less tendency of the belt to bulge than if there were no such voids. The molding pressure exerted toward the outer periphery of the belt tends to stretch the fibrous portions of the belt located outwardly of the zone I3, and thus to eliminate slack in the reinforcing elements and to place them'in better condition to resist stretching of the belt in use.

The mold is permitted to remain in the vulcanizing chamber until the belts are vulcanized, when the mold is taken from the chamber, its sections disassembled and the finished belts removed therefrom.

By this method of making belts, the necessity for applying molding pressure externally of the belts is eliminated, and many difficulties, heretofore standing in the way of satisfactorily applying external pressure without injury to the faces of the belts or misplacement of their internal elements by inaccurate application of the pressure means, are avoided. The heretofore commonly used expedient of confining belts in mold cavities by fabric wrappings and relying on shrinkage of the fabric for pressure with the dis advantages of high cost due to rapid deterioration'of the fabric, frequent formation of structural irregularities in the belts due to uneven application of pressure by the fabric, and extra labor and time required for wrapping and unwrapping the fabric, may be dispensed with. i

In the new method, the belts when placed in the mold cavities may be of a volume and length sufficiently less than that of the cavities to be accommodated entirely within the cavities without bulging of portions of the belts beyond the outer surface of the mold, and further assurance against outward bulging is obtained if the belts are stretched on being placed in the cavities, as hereinbefore explained, permitting assembly of the shell 23 on the mold without likelihood of objectionable sliding contact ofthe shell with the outer cover surfaces of the belts. Moreover, because the belts are expanded by internal pressure from their smaller volume to the larger volume of the mold cavities, the surface portions of the belt are drawn somewhat and pressed against substantially in the absence of wrinkles and other 1 malformations in the surface of the belt, and the internal pressure in cooperation with the restraining influence of the fabric cover contributes to the elimination of mold fins and pinched fabric in portions of the belt adjacent such crevices as may exist at the edges of adjoining mold parts.

In Fig. 1 is illustrated a finished belt with the components thereof of Fig. 2 rearranged somewhat by the molding operation to conform to the trapezoidal shape of the mold cavity. The belt as taken from the mold possesses smooth fiat faces substantially free from objectionable mold fins, seams, or other irregularities which might mar its neat appearance, or which might require additional operations for removal or other treatment.

The belt possesses lateral and longitudinal resilient compressibility in the region of the porous rubber I30, which compressibility diminishes outwardly toward the outer circumference of the belt in accordance with the outwardly diminishing condition of porosity of the rubber and outwardly increasing proportion of fibrous material to rubber.

The lateral compressibility of the belt permits accommodation of the belt to a depth in the groove of a pulley most suitable to the smooth running and efficient power transmission of the belt, the depth to which the belt will seat in the groove being determined primarily by the lateral stiffness of the belt afforded by such fibrous elements as the cords l 2 and filler. fabric l I, it being remembered that the relative proportion of fibrous material to rubber increases from the inner toward the outer circumference ofthe belt and that the belt is comparatively stiff laterally near the outer circumference thereof. Due to the porosity of the rubber the belt is capable of being reduced somewhat in volume under lateral compression, thereby reducing the tendency of portions of the belt to bulge under the wedging action .of pulley flanges, and thus making for smoother running of the belt. Moreover, the lateral compressibility of the belt permits greater tolerance in relative pulley and belt dimensions while preserving emcient gripping of the belt faces with contacting flanges of the pulley.

The longitudinal resilient compressibility of the belt portions near the inner periphery afforded by the porosity and resilience of the rubber composition permits required compression of the belt portions lying radially inward of the neutral axis when the belt is fiexed, as in passing over a pulley, and this compressibility is greatest near the inner periphery of the belt where the compression due to flexure is necessarily greatest. Furthermore, this porosity of the belt portions inwardly of the neutral axis permits reduction in volume of these belt portions as a whole under the longitudinal compression of flexure, with a consequent reduction in the tendency of the belt to spread laterally at these portions during such flexure and thus making for more uniform distribution of gripping pressure by the side walls of the belt with the pulley flanges, and smoother and more eflicient running of the belt. Moreover, the porosity of the rubber composition makes for low internal friction under continuous flexing, and such pores as are open to the atmosphere assist, by a breathing action during flexing, in the dissipation of heat caused by friction under continuous and rapid running over pulleys.

Due to the resiliently yielding nature of the porous rubber in the zone I of the belt, to- II gether with the wedging action of the rubber between the pulley flanges and the stress distributing qualities of the cover and other fabric elements of the belt, the stretch resisting cords are prevented from cutting into the rubber or moving with relation thereto to an objectionable degree when, under the stresses incident to the' transmission of power between the belt and the pulley, the cords tend to move deeper in the pulley groove against the resistance of the rubber and fabric.

The invention, in some of its phases, has application to the manufacture of machine belts,

generally, and is not wholly limited to the pro duction of power transmission belts of the type herein illustrated, hence it will be understood that various alterations in the materials, arrangement thereof, apparatus and procedure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as it is hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A machine belt of the side-driving type comprising a stretch-resisting element and a portion adapted to be laterally compressed by wedging action of the pulleys thereon, said portion comprising cellular rubber.

2. A machine belt of the side-driving type, of substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length, and comprising a longitudinal zone in a peripheral region thereof consisting in part of cellular rubber contributing to the longitudinal compressibility of said zone by reason of its cellular character.

3. A machine belt of the side-driving type comprising a fibrous cover element and a body of cellular rubber therein.

. ERNEST MEYER. 

